Fmr. Handyman Sentenced To Death In Waitress Murder Case
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A Miami man was sentenced to death Wednesday for the murder of a waitress at a popular South Florida restaurant.
The victim's family was in the courtroom but so was the son of a previous victim who felt justice for his mother was delayed.
Rafael Andres, 51, walked into a Miami-Dade courtroom to be sentenced for a murder that took place 10 years ago.
The victim, Yvette Fariñas was beaten, stabbed and strangled with the electrical cord from a rice cooker.
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Dava Tunis spoke directly to Andres as she sentenced him to death for the brutal crime.
Click here to watch Eliott Rodriguez's report.
"As you tightened the cord around her neck, she was alive. She was losing her ability to breath. Duct tape was tightened around her nostrils while you deliberately, atrociously and cruelly tightened that cord around her neck," said Judge Tunis.
Fariñas who worked as a waitress at La Carreta Restaurant was killed in 2005.
But Andres, who worked as a handyman, had killed before.
In 1987, he murdered Linda Azcarreta, in what was called a drug frenzy. He served only 18 months for the murder.
Azcarreta's son, Rene Azcarreta, who was 7-years old when his mother was killed, was in court Wednesday pleading that Andres never be set free again.
"My mother was full of life, always happy, always willing to help others when needed," said Rene.
Rene , who discovered his mother's body after arriving from school on the day of the murder, said he finally felt at peace when the sentence was handed down.
"You are hereby sentenced to death," said the judge.
"I was finally able to say something to my mom to help her after 27 years so peace," said Rene.
Prosecutor Gail Levine said she was pleased that the judge agreed with the jury's recommendation to sentence Andres to death
"He was given a second chance and he destroyed it. He savagely beat to death stabbed and strangled Yvette. That family will never be the same but today they received the closure that they deserved," said Levine.
